Selene
I turn on the hot water and let it pour over me in thick, heavy streams, trying to wash away the weight of the day. The bathroom is dark, I didn't bother turning on the light. I don't want to see anything.
Especially not the dried blood still clinging to my hands.
Her blood.
When I woke up yesterday, all I wanted was to break her down a little more. She's been too quiet lately. Too obedient. I hate it. I want her nervous, flinching at every sound. I want her afraid, desperate, completely undone.
I want her gone.
And yet...
I grit my teeth, the sound grinding between my ears as my fists slam against my thighs. The pain barely registers beneath the anger.
How did this happen? Why?
She's just a useless omega who can't even shift. So how in the Goddess's name did she end up being their mate?
I should've killed her. Right there in the yard. I should've whipped her until there was nothing left but blood and silence. If I had, none of this would be happening.
Now what the fuck am I supposed to do?
Ever since it was confirmed she's their fated mate, I haven't had a moment of peace. I stayed up all night, pacing, thinking, trying to come up with a plan—but none of the answers feel final.
And I need final.
Because I can't let this happen.Not with my father's hand still clenched around my throat.
"What's the point of your existence if you're not a man? Now pray to the Goddess that you'll become a Luna. Otherwise, you'll be thrown out… just like she was."
His words echo deep in my soul, but my wolf steps forward, pushing back the anxiety clawing at my chest.
Get a grip, Selene, she urges, her voice steady, grounding. It's not over until it's over.
She's right. It's not.
Once I'm out of the shower and dressed, I stand in front of the tall bookshelf beside the fireplace, my eyes drifting lazily across the spines of the hardcovers. I don't need to search—I know exactly where it is.I could find it in the dark, pull it out in less than a second with my eyes closed.
But I hesitate.
It's been a long time. Too long.
And the truth is, I hate opening that notebook. I've memorized every word by now—burned it all into my mind—but today isn't about rereading. That's not why I'm here.
I'm trying to make a decision.
To destroy the notebook… or keep it.
With a sigh, my fingers drift over the familiar leather cover, worn smooth with age. I pull it from the shelf. I disguised it in a different cover years ago, just in case—too many nosy people around, and this one... it's not for anyone else's eyes.
Today, it feels heavier than ever.
I know exactly which page I need. I know where to go, what to look for.
But I don't open it.
Not yet.
Instead, I flip through the pages absentmindedly, avoiding the one that matters, unsure of what I'm even stalling for.
Burn it, my wolf growls, her voice low and sharp, laced with frustration. I feel her irritation bleed into me, hot and insistent.
I should.I should get rid of it, because if this notebook ever ends up in the triplets' hands… if they discover the truth, everything will change.
It'll all be over.For me.
A light knock breaks the silence of my room, making me flinch. My fingers slip, and I nearly drop the notebook. I whip my head toward the clock hanging above my desk—breakfast time.
So it must be one of the maids.
"Get out of here!" I snap, louder than I mean to. The sound ricochets off the walls. "I don't want anything—just go!"
There's a pause, a breath of hesitation, before I hear footsteps retreating down the hall. She's gone.
And I need to be gone, too.
I shove the notebook back into its place, forcing myself to move. I need to see one of them. Killian.
Yes. Killian makes the most sense. He hates her. This family means everything to him—he'll listen. He has to. And if he listens, the others will, too.
As I march down the corridor, mentally rehearsing everything I need to say, I come to an abrupt stop. My breath catches as my gaze falls on Alpha John's closed door.
There are voices inside. More than one.
I edge closer, just enough to make out the words, and then I freeze, every muscle in my body locking up.
It's them.
The triplets.
"You should accept her," comes Alpha John's voice—weak, fading—but still crystal clear to my ears.
"I've always wanted you to have a fated mate… this is a blessing. And my dying wish."
I slap a hand over my mouth to stop the scream rising in my throat.
I don't need to hear the rest. I already know where this is headed.
And it's my worst fucking nightmare coming to life.
But still—I can't let this slide. I won't let it happen. She has no right. She can't be their mate.
Before I even realize it, I'm storming toward her room. One of the guards steps in my path, like she's worth protecting, like she deserves it.
"Get the fuck out of my way!" I snarl, letting my wolf bleed into my voice. The force of it makes him flinch, stepping back instinctively. Good. I don't care what the consequences are—I can't hold this in.
Not when rage is burning me alive from the inside out.
She doesn't even get a chance to react.
My claws are already tangled in her hair, yanking hard enough to make her cry out. Her pain flashes across her face, and I cling to it like it's some kind of justice.
"How dare you?! What did you do?! What the fuck did you do to them?!" I scream, voice breaking with fury. I need to hear it—I need her to admit it. She must've done something. A spell, a curse—anything. There's no way that bond is real. No way it formed naturally.
"What?!" she gasps like she doesn't understand, and the sound of her voice makes something inside me snap.
Liar. She's lying through her teeth. Playing dumb like she hasn't shattered everything.
I need answers. I need to know what kind of dark magic she's used—what sick trick she pulled to twist fate like this.
But before I can pull harder, before I can force the truth out of her, her body goes limp in my grip.
Just like that.
I'm suddenly holding nothing but dead weight.
"Miss Selene!"
Roger bursts in—the pack doctor—nearly shoving me aside to get to her. I stumble back, chest heaving. Watching him kneel beside her, panic in his voice, hands gentle on her bruised skin...
My skin crawls. I know he's just doing his job, but still. The way he touches her—it looks like he cares.
"For fuck's sake!" I hiss, spinning on my heel and storming out of the room, the fury in me now dangerously quiet.
This isn't over. I won't let this happen. Whatever it takes... I'll get rid of her. No matter what.